The City operates under the New Jersey Municipal Manager Law of 1923. This form of government separates policy making (the work of the Mayor and City Council) from the execution of policy (the work of the City Manager). This maintains professional management and a City-wide perspective through: nonpartisan election, at large representation, concentration of executive responsibility in the hands of a professional manager accountable to the Mayor and Council, concentration of policy making power in one body – a five-person Mayor and Council.
Mayor
John Labrosse
A Hackensack resident for over 45 years, Mayor John Labrosse was first elected to the City Council in 2009 and has served as Mayor since 2013. Under Labrosse’s administration, the City has lowered taxes the past 3 years, has seen two credit rating increases, has attracted over one Billion Dollars of investment in Hackensack, and is experiencing a total renaissance of its downtown area.
Kathy Canestrino has been Hackensack's Deputy Mayor since 2013. A retired aerospace engineer with experience managing multi-million dollar budgets, Kathy Canestrino has spearheaded the City’s downtown redevelopment efforts. For her tireless leadership, she received the prestigious "Outstanding Women in Municipal Government" award from the New Jersey League of Municipalities and was recognized as "a shining example of the major contributions made by women in public service today.
Deputy Mayor
Kathleen Canestrino
Councilman
Leonardo Battaglia
Elected in 2013, Councilman Leonardo Battaglia moved to Hackensack after immigrating from Ecuador to build the American dream, as 40% of our Hackensack residents have done. A retired business owner, Councilman Battaglia has taken a proactive approach on major infrastructure projects throughout the City including repaving 70 total roads in the last five years. The Councilman also founded the Hackensack Junior Soccer Program and helped oversee the M&M Recreation Center and Johnson Park Sports Dome projects.
Councilwoman Stephanie Von Rudenborg is a Mother of 3 young children in local schools, an Education Consultant, and a Special Education Advocate, with a Law Degree and a Masters in Special Education. Von Rudenborg previously served on the Planning Board before she was elected to the City Council in 2017. She has worked tirelessly on the City's revitalization efforts, and community improvement projects such as the Community Garden.
Councilwoman
Stephanie Von Rudenborg
Councilman
Gerard Carroll
Elected in 2021 and serving his first term, Gerard Carroll is a lifelong Hackensack resident, educator, and dedicated community servant. Councilman Carroll is a retired educator and former Hackensack High School football and baseball coach, who has helped thousands of students gain real world experience and learn valuable life lessons inside and outside the classroom. Additionally, he is a former union leader, a member of the NAACP, a former Auxiliary Police officer, and has been a board member on various community organizations and nonprofits.